The bad news keeps coming for the Phillies.
Hours after it was reported that the Cubs have signed Craig Kimbrel, the other high profile free-agent pitcher linked to the Phillies, Dallas Keuchel, appears to be headed to the Braves.
According to a source, the Braves have emerged as frontrunners to sign Dallas Keuchel. Yankees remain in the mix, but Atlanta appears to be making a push.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 6, 2019Buster Olney reported in April that Keuchel is open to a good one-year deal.
Keuchel, 31, has spent his entire seven year career with the Houston Astros reaching two all-star games. Keuchel was 12-11 last season with a 3.74 ERA, 1.314 WHIP, and a 2.64 SO/W ratio.
The Phillies, with seven relief pitchers currently on the disabled list, Andrew McCutchen done for the year, and Odubel Herrera on adminstrative leave need some personnel help. Jon Morosi reports the Phillies will be one of baseball's biggest trade deadline buyers this season, eager to get back to the postseason.
94WIP's Tim Kelly wrote about Keuchel on March 1st:
There are things to like about Keuchel: he still pitched over 200 innings in 2018 and the Phillies could use a pitcher that eats innings and posts an ERA of 3.74 and FIP of 3.69.
Just not if they have to pay the 31-year-old like he's still pitching at an elite level. And there's been no indication that Keuchel would be willing to take a deal like the one Morton ultimately signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, even though Morton has clearly been the superior pitcher over the past two campaigns.
